Manufacturing device for gelatin capsule

ABSTRACT

Provided is a manufacturing device for a gelatin capsule structured to include a pair of medicinal solution supply units configured to supply medicinal solutions being filled in the capsule while adopting most of structures of an existing manufacturing device for a soft capsule. The device is capable of manufacturing capsules where one capsule is charged with medicinal solutions different from each other, or is capable of increasing productivity compared to the existing manufacturing device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates generally to a manufacturing deviceconfigured to manufacture a soft capsule called a gelatin capsule. Morespecifically, the present disclosure relates to a manufacturing devicefor a gelatin capsule in which a pair of medicinal solution supply unitsconfigured to supply medicinal solutions being filled into the capsuleare provided. In this case, the device may manufacture soft capsulessuch that medicinal solutions different from each other coexist in onecapsule or may supply same medicinal solutions to the capsule throughthe pair of the medicinal solution supply units, thereby achieving anincrease in productivity of the soft capsules compared to existingcapsule manufacturing devices.

Description of the Related Art

Soft capsule products used for various purposes are produced using ageneral method as follows. First, gelatin is heated and liquefied. Next,the liquefied gelatin is spread thinly on a drum of a manufacturingdevice for a gelatin capsule, turned into a sheet form, and transferredto a manufacturing unit. Subsequently, while being manufactured by apair of manufacturing rolls, the gelatin capsule is made by beingcharged with a medicinal solution. This is called a rotary method.

A rotary method manufacturing device includes a sheet manufacturing unit1 configured to manufacture a thin film-shaped gelatin sheet with agelatin solution, a capsule manufacturing unit 2 configured tomanufacture a capsule with the gelatin sheet, and a medicinal solutionsupply unit 3 configured to supply a medicinal solution into the gelatinsheet being turned into the capsule.

With reference to FIG. 1, in the sheet manufacturing unit 1, gelatinthat has been transformed into a syrup form, that is, a liquid state, ina gelatin tank is supplied to a spreader box B that is connected to astorage tank with a transfer hose. In addition, the gelatin, which issupplied to a relevant spreader box through the transfer hose by beingpumped from the storage tank and is in a melted state, is caused to beadjusted in thickness and is applied with the adjusted thickness to anouter circumferential surface of a drum D disposed below the spreaderbox.

In addition, the gelatin applied to the drum being rotated is cooled toform a sheet and then supplied to the capsule manufacturing unit 2through a number of transportation rollers.

Next, the capsule manufacturing unit 2 is provided with a pair ofmanufacturing rolls R that rotate in opposite directions while facingeach other in a state that cavities on each of the manufacturing rollsare arranged to correspond to one another at an outer circumference inorder to manufacture the outer shell of the soft capsule, wherein eachof the cavities is engraved in a shape of one half of the capsule. Inaddition, a wedge W is mounted on an above side of the manufacturingroll in order to inject the medicinal solution into the cavity and isconnected to the medicinal solution supply unit 3 in order to receivethe medicinal solution.

More specifically, the wedge W has a distribution plate P coupledthereto, and the transfer lines L configured to supply the medicinalsolution are each connected to the nozzles of the medicinal solutionsupply unit 3 and injection holes formed in the distribution plate.Accordingly, the medicinal solution in the medicinal solution supplyunit 3 is supplied to the wedge W by passing through the injection holesin the distribution plate through the transfer lines. That is, themedicinal solution supply unit 3 is composed of one medicinal solutionsupply unit located at a center of a side behind the capsulemanufacturing unit 2, and the medicinal solution is discharged throughthe transfer lines L from nozzles formed on opposite sides of themedicinal solution supply unit and is supplied to the injection holesformed in the distribution plate.

In summary, two gelatin sheets manufactured in the sheet manufacturingunit 1 are sandwiched between a pair of manufacturing rolls, beingrotated, of the capsule manufacturing unit 2. At the same time, amedicinal solution is injected between the gelatin sheets at regulartime intervals and is heat-sealed. At the same time, by cutting andmanufacturing the gelatin sheet into a capsule shape at the pair ofmanufacturing rolls, a soft capsule filled with a medicinal solutioninside the gelatin film is continuously manufactured.

In addition, as a medicinal solution filled into the gelatin film, notonly liquid medicines, but also granular medicines, paste medicines, andthe like may be variously considered. With the conventional soft capsulemanufacturing device as shown in FIG. 1, only one medicine is input inone capsule, and one capsule is not allowed to be charged with twomedicines.

The inventors and applicants of the present disclosure have beendeveloping various related devices in the relevant art and have alreadyproposed a configuration capable of charging one capsule with solid andliquid medicines in Korean Patent No. 10-1268491.

However, the configuration proposed in the Korean Patent No. 10-1268491has a limitation in that the medicine to be injected is limited to amedicine of a liquid state or a solid state.

In addition, as a way of being able to implement one capsule to becharged with two or more medicines, a medicine manufacturing machine inwhich a capsule is made of multi-layering films and medicine componentsare manufactured into the films has been proposed.

Korean Patent No. 10-1927148 and Korean Patent No. 10-1951301 relate toa manufacturing device capable of multi-layering capsule films. However,in the case of such a soft capsule manufacturing device, there is alimitation that additionally required medicine should be added only in afilm form.

As such, the applicant of the present disclosure has consistentlycontemplated a manufacturing device capable of manufacturing softcapsules, in which medicines different from each other are filled in onecapsule, and has come up with a manufacturing device for a soft capsuleof the present disclosure described below.

In addition, in developing such soft capsule manufacturing devices, astructure that may have an increase in productivity of soft capsulescompared to existing manufacturing devices has also been contemplated.

The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of thebackground of the present disclosure and is not intended to mean thatthe present disclosure falls within the purview of the related art thatis already known to those skilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present disclosure has been made keeping in mind theabove problems occurring in the related art, and an objective of thepresent disclosure is to provide a manufacturing device capable ofmanufacturing soft capsules, in which medicines different from eachother are filled in one capsule, without limitation to types ofmedicines being filled into the capsule.

Alternatively, when the same medicine is input into each of a firstspace and a second space of one capsule, an objective is to provide amanufacturing device capable of achieving an increase in productivity ofsoft capsules compared to existing manufacturing devices.

An objective is to provide a manufacturing device for manufacturing asoft capsule capable of achieving a desired purpose by even a simpledesign change in an existing manufacturing device, rather thandeveloping a manufacturing device with a structure separate from theexisting manufacturing device in order to achieve the above objectives.

In order to achieve the above objectives according to the presentdisclosure, there may be provided a manufacturing device for a gelatincapsule, the device including: a sheet manufacturing unit configured tomanufacture a thin film-shaped sheet; a capsule manufacturing unitcomprising a pair of manufacturing rolls configured to manufacture acapsule with the sheet manufactured by the sheet manufacturing unit; andmedicinal solution supply units configured to supply a medicinalsolution to an inside of the sheet being turned into a capsule, whereinthe medicinal solution supply units are installed in a pair.

In addition, the medicinal solution supply units may be installed atrespective positions behind the pair of the manufacturing rolls, andmedicinal solutions being input may be the same medicinal solution.

In addition, the medicinal solution supply units may be installed atrespective positions behind the pair of the manufacturing rolls, andmedicinal solutions being input may be the medicinal solutions differentfrom each other.

As described above, according to the soft manufacturing device for thegelatin capsule according to the present disclosure, since two medicinesdifferent from each other can be easily filled in one capsule withoutbeing interfered with by types of medicines being input, capsules can bemanufactured so that medicines different from each other are filled inone capsule.

In addition, when the same type of medicines is input, the device has aneffect of obtaining twice the capsule production compared to theexisting manufacturing device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objectives, features, and other advantages of thepresent disclosure will be more clearly understood from the followingdetailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view showing a conventional manufacturing device for a softcapsule;

FIG. 2 is a view schematically showing a manufacturing device for agelatin capsule according to the present disclosure, wherein the viewshows a state in which the transfer line is connected only to one sideof each of the medicinal solution supply units; and

FIG. 3 is a view showing a shape of a manufacturing roll in themanufacturing device for the gelatin capsule according to the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinbelow, a manufacturing device for a gelatin capsule according tothe present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

First of all, even though it is expressed as a medicinal solution in thedescription of the present disclosure, it should be noted that themedicinal solution does not mean only a medicine in a liquid state. Thatis, in the present disclosure, medicines that may be filled into thecapsule are not only the medicines in a liquid state but are various asmedicines in a granular state, medicines in a paste state, medicines ina suspension state, and the like.

However, even though the medicines are various types, the various typesare commonly referred to as medicinal solutions in the industry.Accordingly, in the following description of the present disclosure, thevarious types of medicines will be collectively referred to as themedicinal solutions.

As mentioned above, FIG. 1 is a view showing a conventionalmanufacturing device for a soft capsule. When FIG. 2, which is a viewschematically showing a manufacturing device for a gelatin capsuleaccording to the present disclosure, is compared with FIG. 1, it iseasily confirmed that the present disclosure is changed in the number ofinstallations and locations of the installations of the medicinalsolution supply units compared with the conventional manufacturingdevice for the soft capsule.

That is, in the present disclosure, a pair of the medicinal solutionsupply units 3 are installed and are each positioned at one side ofopposite sides of the left and right of the manufacturing device.

The manufacturing device for the gelatin capsule according to thepresent disclosure will be described more specifically with reference toFIGS. 2 and 3.

As with the existing device, the manufacturing device for the gelatincapsule according to the present disclosure includes a sheetmanufacturing unit configured to manufacture a thin film-shaped sheet, acapsule manufacturing unit configured to manufacture a capsule with themanufactured sheet, and a medicinal solution supply unit configured tosupply a medicinal solution into the sheet being turned into a capsule.

In addition, as with the existing device, in the sheet manufacturingunit, gelatin is supplied from a gelatin tank to a spreader box, and thesupplied gelatin is in a melted state and comes to adjust a thickness,thereby being applied with the adjusted thickness to an outercircumferential surface of a drum disposed below the spreader box. Inaddition, the gelatin applied to the drum being rotated is cooled toturn into a sheet and then supplied to the capsule manufacturing unit.

The capsule manufacturing unit includes a pair of manufacturing rolls Ron which cavities engraved in a shape of one half of the capsule arearranged (the cavities engraved on the manufacturing roll are not shownin FIG. 2), a wedge W located on an above side of the manufacturing rolland configured to inject a medicinal solution into each cavity, and adistribution plate P installed on a top portion of the wedge.

In addition, the medicinal solution supplied from the medicinal solutionsupply unit 3 through the distribution plate P and the wedge W issupplied into the sheet being turned into the capsule.

Next, the medicinal solution supply unit 3 is also installed in thepresent disclosure, but in the present disclosure, the medicinalsolution supply unit having the same structure as the conventionalmedicinal solution supply unit is installed on each side of oppositesides of the left and right. In other words, a pair of the medicinalsolution supply units, 3A and 3B, are installed.

In addition, one side of each of the transfer lines L is mounted on acorresponding one of supply nozzles n of each of the medicinal solutionsupply units 3A and 3B, an opposite side of each of the transfer lines Lis mounted in a corresponding one of injection holes h1 of thedistribution plate. Accordingly, the medicinal solution stored in themedicinal solution supply units is supplied to the injection holes h1 ofthe distribution plate through the transfer lines L and is injected intothe cavity of the manufacturing roll through the discharge holes h2 ofthe wedge in communication with the injection holes in a capsulemanufacturing process.

Next, the number of injection holes h1 and discharge holes h2 formed inthe distribution plate and wedge, respectively, is different compared tothat of the existing manufacturing device.

The number of the injection holes h1 of the distribution plate isdetermined corresponding to the number of the medicinal solution supplynozzles n provided in each of the medicinal solution supply units.

That is, when one medicinal solution supply unit is installed in acenter of the existing manufacturing device, the medicinal solution issupplied to the distribution plate from the left and right of themedicinal solution supply unit through the medicinal solution supplynozzles formed on the opposite sides of the left and right of themedicinal solution supply unit, and the injection holes of thedistribution plate are also in a shape arranged in a number of one rowon each of the left and right of the distribution plate, wherein thenumber of one row on the distribution plate is the same number of themedicinal solution supply nozzles on each side of the medicinal solutionsupply unit.

However, in the present disclosure, since two medicinal solution supplyunits are installed and the medicinal solution is supplied to thedistribution plate through the medicinal solution supply nozzles nformed on each of the left and right of each of the medicinal solutionsupply units, the injection holes h1 in the distribution plate P of thepresent disclosure take a shape arranged in a number of two rows on eachof the left and right of the distribution plate P.

To this end, the distribution plate P of the present disclosure may havea width greater than that of the existing distribution plate.

In addition, the medicinal solution supplied through the injection holesh1 of the distribution plate moves to the wedge W located under thedistribution plate and is discharged through the discharge holes h2formed at the bottom of the wedge, and the number of discharge holes isalso determined according to the number of the medicinal solution supplynozzles of the medicinal solution supply units.

That is, a discharge hole h2 a in communication with one medicinalsolution supply nozzle formed on one side of one medicinal solutionsupply unit 3A and a discharge hole h2 b in communication with onemedicinal solution supply nozzle formed on one side of another medicinalsolution supply unit 3B become one unit and are formed at the bottom ofthe wedge. In addition, the medicinal solution is input into one capsulein which two discharge holes h2 a and h2 b, having become one unit, aremanufactured.

For reference, each of the transfer lines L connected to one of themedicinal solution supply nozzles n formed on one side of one medicinalsolution supply unit 3A is connected to a corresponding injection holeh1 a of an inner side line of the injection holes arranged in one of thenumber of two rows on a relevant one of the left and right of thedistribution plate P, and each of the transfer lines L connected to oneof the medicinal solution supply nozzles n formed on one side of onemedicinal solution supply unit 3B is connected to a correspondinginjection hole h1 b of an outer side line of the injection holesarranged in one of the number of two rows on the relevant one of theleft and right of the distribution plate P.

Accordingly, when different types of medicinal solutions are each filledin the medicinal solution supply units 3A and 3B, the medicinalsolutions discharged from the two adjacent discharge holes h2 a and h2b, which have become one unit, are different from each other, so thatone capsule may be charged with the medicinal solutions different fromeach other.

According to the manufacturing device of the present disclosureconfigured as described above, a pair of medicinal solution supply units3A and 3B, which are structured independently and do not interfere witheach other, are provided, so the types of the medicinal solutions beingfilled into the capsule are not restricted.

For example, when it is necessary to inject two medicinal solutions suchas oil and water, which have characteristics incapable of being mixed,into the capsule, it is not possible to fill the two medicinal solutionsinto the capsule due to the characteristics thereof of not being capableof being mixed even when the two medicinal solutions are stored in asingle medicinal solution supply unit as in the existing case andsupplied to the capsule manufacturing unit. However, as in the presentdisclosure, each of the medicinal solutions is stored in each of themedicinal solution supply units, thereby being allowed to be filled intoone capsule through each injection hole and discharge hole through aseparate transfer line.

Alternatively, when each of the medicinal solutions in liquid andgranular states, respectively, should be filled into the one samecapsule, the medicinal solutions should be stored and mixed in onemedicinal solution supply unit and be filled into the capsule throughthe same supply line. However, in this case, there is a limitation inthat it is difficult to meet a mixing ratio and the like of themedicinal solutions in liquid and granule states required in thecapsule. However, according to the manufacturing device of the presentdisclosure, the two medicinal solutions such as above may be filled inthe capsule more easily and precisely than according to the existingone.

That is, according to the device of the present disclosure, themedicinal solutions are injected without interfering with each other inthe respective medicinal solution supply unit, and an amount of each ofthe medicinal solutions supplied from each of the medicinal solutionsupply units may be controlled.

Alternatively, when one medicinal solution needs to be injected under avacuum state and another medicinal solution needs to be injected under astate other than the vacuum state, the capsule may be easily chargedwith both the medicinal solutions by the device of the presentdisclosure.

Next, in order that the two medicinal solutions injected into thecapsule are not mixed and stored in the capsule, a cavity formed on thesurface of the manufacturing roll is structured in a shape as shown inFIG. 3.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the cavity 5 engraved on the manufacturingroll in one half of the capsule shape is configured such that the innerspace thereof is divided into a first space 5 a and a second space 5 b,which are each provided with respective suction holes for suction. Inaddition, the discharge holes h2 a and h2 b formed in the wedgecorrespond to the first and second spaces, respectively.

In addition, the corresponding cavity 5 is also formed with a pressingpart 51 that slightly protrudes from the surface of the manufacturingroll at an edge of the cavity like the existing cavity, wherein thepressing part 51 presses a sheet located between the manufacturing rolland the manufacturing roll together with the pressing part formed at thecavity of the opposite manufacturing roll, thereby causing the sheet tobe sealed and laminated.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the pressing part 51 according to thepresent disclosure includes an outer side pressing part 51 a surroundingthe edge of the cavity 5, a first inner side pressing part 51 bpositioned close to the first space, and a second inner pressing part 51c positioned close to the second space, wherein the first inner sidepressing part 51 b and the second inner pressing part 51 c are formedbetween the first space 5 a and the second space 5 b, which are dividedat the inside of the cavity. In this case, in order to manufacture onecapsule whose inner side is divided into two spaces, one space S, whichmay allow the surface of the manufacturing roll to be exposed, is formedbetween the first and second inner pressing parts 51 b and 51 c.Naturally, in this case, the outer side pressing part 51 a continuouslysurrounds the entire edge of the cavity 5.

On the other hand, when the same kind of medicinal solution is filled inthe pair of the medicinal solutions supply units 3, it is possible tomanufacture a larger number of soft capsules than the conventionalmanufacturing device for the soft capsule.

In particular, in this case, for the outer side pressing portion 51 aformed continuously to surround the edge of the cavity 5 in FIG. 3, whenportions of the outer pressing part 51 a adjacent to the space S, whichallows the surface of the manufacturing roll to be exposed, are cut off,twice as many soft capsules may be manufactured as the existing one witha single injection of a medicinal solution, thus the productivity may bedoubly increased.

Alternatively, the manufacturing roll shown in FIG. 3 may be used as itis, but after completion of the capsule, portions of the capsulecorresponding to the portions of the outer side pressing part 51 a maybe cut to finally obtain two capsules from one manufactured product.

In describing the present disclosure above, the present disclosure hasbeen described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, thepresent disclosure may be variously modified, changed, and substitutedby those skilled in the art and should be interpreted that suchmodifications, changes, and substitutions belong to the protection scopeof the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A manufacturing device for a gelatin capsule, thedevice comprising: a sheet manufacturing unit configured to manufacturea thin film-shaped sheet; a capsule manufacturing unit comprising a pairof manufacturing rolls configured to manufacture a capsule with thesheet manufactured by the sheet manufacturing unit; and medicinalsolution supply units configured to supply a medicinal solution to aninside of the sheet being turned into a capsule, wherein the medicinalsolution supply units are installed in a pair.
 2. The device of claim 1,wherein the medicinal solution supply units are installed at respectivepositions behind the pair of the manufacturing rolls, and medicinalsolutions being input are the same medicinal solution.
 3. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the medicinal solution supply units are installed atrespective positions behind the pair of the manufacturing rolls, andmedicinal solutions being input are the medicinal solutions differentfrom each other.
 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the manufacturingroll manufactures capsules, where one capsule is charged with themedicinal solutions different from each other.
 5. The device of claim 1,wherein a cavity formed on a surface of each of the manufacturing rollsof the capsule manufacturing unit is configured such that an inner spacethereof is divided into a first space and a second space, wherein thecavity is formed with a pressing part protruding from the surface of themanufacturing roll, wherein the pressing unit comprises an outer sidepressing part continuously surrounding an edge of the cavity, and afirst inner side pressing part and a second inner pressing part formedbetween the first space and the second space, which are divided at theinside of the cavity, wherein one space is formed between the firstinner pressing part and the second inner pressing part.
 6. The device ofclaim 5, wherein the capsule manufacturing unit comprises: a wedgeconfigured to inject the medicinal solution supplied thereto into thecapsule, and a distribution plate installed on a top portion of thewedge and configured to receive the medicinal solution from themedicinal solution supply unit, wherein the distribution plate is formedwith injection holes configured to inject the medicinal solution, theinjection holes being arranged in a number of two rows on each of theleft and right of the distribution plate, wherein the number of two rowsis the same as that of medicinal solution supply nozzles formed on oneside of one of two medicinal solution supply units, and the wedge isformed with discharge holes each of which is in communication withcorresponding one of the injection holes and configured to inject themedicinal solution into the capsule in a capsule manufacturing process,wherein a discharge hole in communication with one medicinal solutionsupply nozzle formed on one side of one medicinal solution supply unitand a discharge hole in communication with one medicinal solution supplynozzle formed on one side of another medicinal solution supply unit, asa unit, are arranged corresponding to the first space and the secondspace, respectively, of the cavity.